Mexican chef's home-style blossoms at Nopalito

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, August 9, 2009

Gonzalo Guzman, chef at Nopalito, his San Francisco, Calif., home preparing Squash Blossom Empanadas for the Chef's Night In column on Wednesday, July 15, 2009.

Gonzalo Guzman, chef at Nopalito, his San Francisco, Calif., home preparing Squash Blossom Empanadas for the Chef's Night In column on Wednesday, July 15, 2009.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, SFC

Image 2 of 3

Squash Blossom Empanadas for the Chef's Night In column prepared by Gonzalo Guzman, chef at Nopalito, in his San Francisco, Calif., home on Wednesday, July 15, 2009.

Squash Blossom Empanadas for the Chef's Night In column prepared by Gonzalo Guzman, chef at Nopalito, in his San Francisco, Calif., home on Wednesday, July 15, 2009.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, SFC

Image 3 of 3

Gonzalo Guzman, chef at Nopalito, his San Francisco, Calif., home preparing Squash Blossom Empanadas for the Chef's Night In column on Wednesday, July 15, 2009.

Gonzalo Guzman, chef at Nopalito, his San Francisco, Calif., home preparing Squash Blossom Empanadas for the Chef's Night In column on Wednesday, July 15, 2009.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, SFC

Mexican chef's home-style blossoms at Nopalito

1 / 3

Back to Gallery

They say home is where the heart is, and for chef Gonzalo Guzman of San Francisco's Nopalito, it's quite obvious his heart is in the kitchen - just not this one.

Most of his time is spent at the newish Mexican restaurant where he is co-chef with Jose Ramos, so cooking at home is something he does about once a week, he says, "when my girlfriend asks me."

Guzman's home kitchen is a small apartment one, fit more for a bachelor than a chef. Yet Guzman, 27, is clearly making it work. On this evening, the air is thick with the aroma of caramelizing onion, jalapeno chiles and summer squash.

The menu? Squash Blossom Empanadas, a dish he describes as "simple, but very home-style."

"I grew up in a hot place where there were a lot of pumpkins and squash, so there were always blossoms," Guzman recalls while running a handful of fresh squash blossoms under cold water.

He's referring to Veracruz, Mexico, where he spent a good portion of his childhood. Like many chefs, Guzman reminisces about when he was a kid, cooking alongside his mom, who also made a living making food, cooking for the local school. "She made empanadas all the time, and would stuff them with whatever was around."

Guzman removes the sauteed vegetables from the pan atop the electric coil and explains how growing up, everything was cooked outdoors over the wood-burning earthen stove his grandfather built.

Immigrating to San Francisco as a young man in the 1990s, Guzman came to the city hungry for work and experience. What he got was a job in a kitchen, washing dishes in exchange for food, and a proverbial foot in the door.

"I wanted to learn about different styles," he says. So he branched out, working his way tirelessly through the ranks, one kitchen at a time. "Sometimes two at a time," he confesses.

And after 12 years of working in the industry, the young chef has accumulated an impressive resume, including restaurants such as Kokkari, Boulevard and Nopalito's parent restaurant, Nopa.

So how is it that the Mexican-born chef with European training made his triumphant return to the cuisine of his childhood? One word: carnitas.

While working at Nopa, Guzman and Ramos were often tasked with preparing the evening family meal for the cooks and the rest of the staff to eat before opening the restaurant. Working mostly with leftover pork scraps, the two chefs embraced the opportunity to embark on a quest to craft the perfect carnitas.

Their efforts were met with overwhelming approval, especially from co-owner Laurence Jossel. "When these guys put family meals together, they were outstanding ... just everybody went crazy," he notes.

That led to the next step. "One day he (Jossel) just told us that he wanted us to run the kitchen of their new restaurant," Guzman says. "We didn't really take him very seriously until it suddenly happened."

Now he and Ramos showcase their native cuisine at what is now the successful Nopalito, a kitchen this chef can truly call home.

Empanadas de Flor de Calabaza (Squash Blossom Empanadas)

Makes 8

This simple vegetarian dish by Nopalito chef Gonzalo Guzman makes snack-sized empanadas that can be served individually as starters or compiled together as a main course. Nopalito makes its own organic fresh masa (masa fresca), but you can purchase it from Mexican grocers such as La Palma Mexicatessen, 2884 24th St. (near Bryant), San Francisco; (415) 647-1500.

Chile de arbol salsa

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 chiles de arbol, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 tablespoon cilantro

-- Juice of 1/2 lime

Empanadas

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 jalapeno pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice

6 squash blossoms, de-stemmed and cut into quarters, lengthwise

2 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped

1 cup queso fresco, crumbled

-- Kosher salt to taste

3/4 pound fresh masa for tortillas (preferably yellow corn)

1 cup vegetable oil

To finish

3/4 cup shredded green cabbage

1/2 cup queso fresco

For the salsa: Heat a sautepan over medium heat and add the extra virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, drop in the chiles and fry until slightly charred, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and then carefully add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low, season with salt, and cook slowly, occasionally stirring the mixture until it becomes almost paste-like. Transfer to a blender, add onion, and pulse until relatively smooth. Stir in the cilantro and lime, and let cool. Adjust seasoning if needed.

For the empanadas: In a 12-inch saute pan, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and jalapeno. Sweat the vegetables until translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add zucchini and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Season lightly with salt. Add the squash blossoms, remove from heat and sprinkle in cilantro. Transfer to a bowl; when cool, gently stir in queso fresco. Add salt, if necessary.

Divide the masa into 8 equal portions. Roll into round balls. Flatten balls with the palms of your hands or a small rolling pin until 1/8 inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. Place 2 tablespoons of filling on one halfleaving a border around the outside. Fold over and crimp edges with your fingers.

Heat medium frying pan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot (approximately 360°), fry the empanadas until they begin to crisp, about 2 minutes per side. You can fry up to 4 empanadas at a time. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb any excess oil.

Plate the empanadas and garnish with the cabbage, salsa and queso fresco.

Wine pairing: The best choice is a cold beer with less alcohol, such as Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Fat Tire Amber Ale.

Latest from the SFGATE homepage:

Click below for the top news from around the Bay Area and beyond. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to learn about breaking news and more. Go to 'Sign In' and 'Manage Profile' at the top of the page.